وَقَالُوا۟ ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَدًا ۗ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ ۖ بَل لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ كُلٌّ لَّهُۥ قَـٰنِتُونَ 116
Translations
They say, "Allāh has taken a son." Exalted is He! Rather, to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. All are devoutly obedient to Him,
Transliteration
Wa qalū ittakhadha Allāhu waladan subḥānahu bal lahu mā fī as-samāwāti wa-al-arḍi kullun lahu qānitūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refutes the false claims of those who attributed children to Allah, a blasphemy common among pre-Islamic Arabs and certain People of the Book. The verse emphasizes Allah's absolute transcendence (tanzīh) through the word 'Subḥānahu' (Glory be to Him), declaring that everything in the heavens and earth belongs to Him alone, and all creation stands in obedience to Him. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurṭubī note this directly addresses Quraish claims that angels were Allah's daughters, and Christian claims about Jesus being the Son of God, establishing that Allah is beyond partnership and procreation.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the early Medinan portion of Surah Al-Baqarah, revealed in response to the theological misconceptions of the Quraysh and People of the Book (Jews and Christians) living in Medina. The broader context addresses fundamental Islamic beliefs about the oneness of Allah (Tawḥīd) and refutes polytheistic and anthropomorphic concepts of the Divine.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim records a hadith where the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The most grievous sin is to associate partners with Allah, for Allah has created me and created you, but I have not created anyone, and you have not created anyone.' Additionally, Sunan An-Nasai contains hadith emphasizing that speaking against Allah's oneness is among the greatest sins.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us to guard our beliefs against false theological concepts and to understand that Allah alone deserves worship and obedience—not creation itself, which exists in complete subjugation to His will. For believers today, it reinforces that true faith requires rejecting any notion that diminishes Allah's absolute uniqueness and perfection.
Related Ayahs
فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌ فَزَادَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مَرَضًا ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْذِبُونَ
In their hearts is disease, so Allāh has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they [habitually] used to lie.
بِئْسَمَا ٱشْتَرَوْا۟ بِهِۦٓ أَنفُسَهُمْ أَن يَكْفُرُوا۟ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ بَغْيًا أَن يُنَزِّلَ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦ ۖ فَبَآءُو بِغَضَبٍ عَلَىٰ غَضَبٍ ۚ وَلِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ
How wretched is that for which they sold themselves - that they would disbelieve in what Allāh has revealed through [their] outrage that Allāh would send down His favor upon whom He wills from among His servants. So they returned having [earned] wrath upon wrath. And for the disbelievers is a humiliating punishment.
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ لَوْلَا يُكَلِّمُنَا ٱللَّهُ أَوْ تَأْتِينَآ ءَايَةٌ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّثْلَ قَوْلِهِمْ ۘ تَشَـٰبَهَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ ۗ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لِقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ
Those who do not know say, "Why does Allāh not speak to us or there come to us a sign?" Thus spoke those before them like their words. Their hearts resemble each other. We have shown clearly the signs to a people who are certain [in faith].
وَٱلْمُطَلَّقَـٰتُ يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ ثَلَـٰثَةَ قُرُوٓءٍ ۚ وَلَا يَحِلُّ لَهُنَّ أَن يَكْتُمْنَ مَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ فِىٓ أَرْحَامِهِنَّ إِن كُنَّ يُؤْمِنَّ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۚ وَبُعُولَتُهُنَّ أَحَقُّ بِرَدِّهِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ إِنْ أَرَادُوٓا۟ إِصْلَـٰحًا ۚ وَلَهُنَّ مِثْلُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَيْهِنَّ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ وَلِلرِّجَالِ عَلَيْهِنَّ دَرَجَةٌ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
Divorced women remain in waiting [i.e., do not remarry] for three periods, and it is not lawful for them to conceal what Allāh has created in their wombs if they believe in Allāh and the Last Day. And their husbands have more right to take them back in this [period] if they want reconciliation. And due to them [i.e., the wives] is similar to what is expected of them, according to what is reasonable. But the men [i.e., husbands] have a degree over them [in responsibility and authority]. And Allāh is Exalted in Might and Wise.